Great Lakes

Great Lakes Committee

Lake Ontario

Great lakes Compact Implementation initiative

Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council Draft Report is available at this website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/56095.html

The Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council has released the draft report Our Great Lakes Water Resources: Conserving and Protecting

Our Water Today for Use Tomorrow. This draft report offers recommendations to Governor Paterson and the NYS Legislature in response to the directive issued to the Council by the New York State Legislature in approving the ratifying legislation of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Compact) in 2008.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (Source: http://www.great-lakes.net/infocenter/restoration.html )

Lake Ontario Early in 2009, President Obama released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2010 which includes a Great Lakes Resto- ration Initiative. The Initiative will accelerate Great Lakes restoration by investing $475 million to confront some of the most serious threats to the region, including invasive species, nonpoint source pollution and toxic sediments. The Initia- tive represents a significant down payment on a multiyear effort to fully implement the Great Lakes Regional Collabora- tion restoration strategy. An investment in Great Lakes restoration will help with other efforts to reinvigorate the economy of a region especially hard hit by recent downturns in the global economy. In the Great Lakes region, freshwater and access to the lakes are intertwined with economic activity and are fundamental to our future. The Brookings Institution has estimated that imple- menting the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy will generate $50 billion in long-term benefits.

Great Lakes Coalition 5th Annual Great Lakes Restoration Conference (Source: http:// www.healthylakes.org/09conference/ )

The Healing Our Waters®-Great Lakes Coalition will come together on the shores of Lake Superior to reunite with friends, celebrate our successes, and develop strategies to achieve our Great Lakes restoration goals for 2010 and be- yond.

The conference agenda will address critical issues such as linking Great Lakes restoration to economic recovery, working with the Obama administration to fulfill the $5 billion Great Lakes commitment, and securing Congressional funding for on the ground restoration work.

Meeting Times and Places

Time: 7-9 pm Dates: Sept 22, Oct 27, Nov 17, Dec 22, Jan 26, Feb 23, March 23, April 27, May 25, June 22
Place: Twelve Corners Middle School,2643 Elmwood Avenue, Library on the 2nd floor

GREAT LAKES COMMITTEE COLLABORATES WITH THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP J377 ON BOTTLED WATER

by Susan Stinson

The GLC is raising awareness of the harm due to proliferation of bottled water. In promoting the use of tap water, instead of bottled, we worked with a local Girl Scout troop to construct a display at the Brighton Library in February, 2009. Two GLC workshops included activities that introduced the troop to new concepts. For example:

• A blind water taste test and a survey of types of water their families used introduced the girls to the cost of bottled vs. tap water. \

• A simplified demonstration of water filtration fascinated the girls, and led them to suggest additional ideas for experimenting with water filtration. It was inspirational to see the enthusiasm of the girls in participating and learning about an issue that is part of their every day life. We felt that we provided the girls a meaningful educational activity.

The Sierra Club pamphlet, “Bottled Water”, recommends several actions to take to reduce the use of bottled water:

• AVOID using BOTTLED WATER unless absolutely necessary.

• Drink from REUSABLE METAL CONTAINERS filled with tap water when traveling.

• At public events and at home, OFFER PITCHERS of water. • Talk to your favorite restaurants about NOT offering bottled water.

• Help ensure that GOOD QUALITY TAP WATER is available to everyone in your community at an affordable price.

• Advocate for adequate funding and GOOD PUBLIC MANAGEMENT of MUNICIPAL WATER systems. For information about your local drinking water, go to Drinking Water Protection Program